ADEH meets NPPA Chairman in connection with coronary stents price

They suggested that a study to review the procedure charges before the capping of stent prices and post that should be done

A delegation of Alliance of Doctors on Ethical Healthcare (ADEH) comprising of Dr Arun Mitra, Dr Abhay Shukla, Dr Monica Chandy and Dr Anil Pathak met the Chairman NPPA in connection with the review of the price of coronary stents.

They pointed out that the real benefit of the capping of the price of stent has not gone to the patients because there has been no monitoring mechanism to check the total cost of putting stent by the hospitals and therefore the private hospitals increased the procedure charges and the charges of ancillary material used in putting the stents. There should be a study to review the procedure charges before the capping of stent prices and after that. The review should be done not before five years because it is unlikely that new research with great benefit can happen in one year.

They highlighted, “The demand of the industries, particularly the NMCs, for the increasing the price of the so called new generation stents is not logical and the scientific studies are against it. They also demanded that all the drugs should be brought under list of essential medicines because drug is not a choice of the patient. The piece meal approach will not lead us to anywhere.

They further demanded that the MRP should be fixed by the government and not be companies and that the private hospitals should be brought under the RTI so as to increase transparency.

A written representation was submitted to the NPPA which is attached herewith.

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